This instructable describes how to make a torch, and also how to breathe fire. All the materials needed should cost under 20$. Its also safer then you might imagine for a few reasons, the first is that kerosene (The liquid used to breathe fire) has a high flash point, meaning its not an extremely flammable liquid, I have put matches out in cups of kerosene. It ignites because you make it into a mist (aspirating) when you spray it from your mouth. Another reason is as long as there is sufficient pressure the flames will stay a safe distance from your face. With that being said it is still a dangerous project and should only be attempted if you consider yourself responsible enough to follow the directions exactly. I have confidence that as long as you follow my directions you will not be burned, so thats my disclaimer if you dont follow the rules don't blame me. Now with all the boring stuff aside, get ready to impress your friends and family at your next summer bbq. It never gets old hearing people say how crazy you are.

Step 1: Parts List

This parts list contains all the materials needed to make 2 torches and the things used to breathe fire.

Parts:

1. Kerosene a.k.a. paraffin oil, make sure it is high quality with nothing added. (I bought mine in this big jug at sears hardware for about 6$)
2. 4' long 1" diameter wooden dowel or (2) 2' long metal pipes with similar or smaller diameter (Note: If using the metal pipes the following materials are not necessary: aluminum foil, nails, hammer, saw, or tin can)
3. Aluminum foil
4. Hammer with 5 or 6 nails about an inch long
5. Metal can of some kind( A soup can works, but a coffee can is better because it is longer and will protect the dowel better
6. Kevlar wick about 2" wide (Can be bought on e-bay for a few dollars a foot, just search for "kevlar fire poi"). You will need about 2-3 feet per torch, I have also heard that cloth belts can be used instead of the kevlar, but I have never tried this method.
7. Plastic water bottle
8. Small funnel
9. Tin snips or heavy duty scissors capable of cutting a coffee can
10. A wood saw
11. Ruler
12. A wet towel, bucket of water, and fire extinguisher are also a good idea (not just one but all three)

Kerosen is so dangerous and more volatile. For your healt, please use Paraffine. It's more gentle for you troath, le light of the flamme is whiter than kerosen. Never breath near of a cable as the photo, always have 10 meter of safety that there are anything around.

100% Non-Toxic, and impossible to backfeed into your lungs seeing as the oil puts off no vapors, and best of all if this stuff is on your skin and you tried to light it, it would not even catch fire :D

lasermaster, said no isopropyl, but CVS sells ethyl alcohol, which works well and wont kill you if you swallow it, no denature alcohol or methanol either, they WILL kill you without even swallowing them.

kerosene and paraffin are completely different well sort of......Paraffin just means it is a fuel that has an oily composition and kerosene is a carcinogen and If you don't know what that means it means it causes cancer. Kero comes from petroleum that has been highly refined but Lamp Oil doesn't......you are going to get someone hurt and that would be grounds for suing because you didn't state a waver from responsibility and if you decide to put one up it won't matter because It hasn't always been up therefore they can still sue so you should take this article down.

PARAFFIN, PARAFFIN,PARAFFIN, DO NOT USE KEROSENE, DO NOT USE GASOLINE, DO NOT USE ALCOHOL, USE PARAFFIN, PARAFFIN PARAFfIN Im not usually one to talk about irresponsibility parafin can be found at any walmart or hardware store. it is called lamp oil and is used for tiki torches. Paraffin is used for its low flash point, and it is for the most part odorless and not terrible tasting, you really want to stay away from anything else. And Jesus, please read all the precautions first. Practice with water first, it sounds dumb but DO IT. The most important factor is when you blow the flame and then close your mouth when you reopen your mouth you need to blow out again incase the fire has been trapped in your mouth waiting for oxygen. If you were to inhale, the flame would fill your lungs and we can only hope after that. Try not to wear any synthetic material when attempting, I have seen peoples clothing melt onto their body. Just as you would not piss into the wind, do not blow into the wind. And always have a towel that has been soaked in water and wipe your face in between blows, the liquid likes to dribble down your chin, and a little goes a long way. Start off small, do not rush it, you dont need a whole mouth full. If you really must breathe fire, research it first. There is plenty of info on Wiki and other sites that will give you correct info and they all agree. USE PARAFFIN. lord Im getting old

isn't paraffin just the british word for kerosine? (wikipedia: Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage,[1] also known as paraffin in UK and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid) also, kerosine is quite safe when ingested (just some explosive diarrhea, pun intended) while lamp oil usually has some added chemicals to make it burn more beautiful or easier (look at the back, according to wikipedia the flash point for pure paraffin/kerosine is 90 degrees centigrade, while most lamp oils light at 61

DO NOT use cornstarch under any circumstances, as a fine powder it's far too easy inhale which, when making contact with the flame, puts you in a far too vulnerable position. I would put kerosene/paraffin liquid before cornstarch as far as saftey is concerned. Easy to manipulate, low flash point and only ignites when aspirating (in mist form).

Yes, it is poisonous, but if you swallow a little bit (let's just say the amount you use for breathing one flame) all you get is diarrhea for a couple of days, sure, it's annoying, but it's better then dying

Yeah this stuff is extremely bad to swallow, that is why I had come up with a non-toxic and safer alternative, using just vegetable oil, doing it that way also reduces your chances on chatching on fire to almost None-Existent...

Well, this is a great way to die. If you are careful, take it slow, follow all precaution,s and USE PARAFFIN INSTEAD OF KEROSENE you might not die. i know someone who died from this, when he accidentally inhaled and blew his lungs up.

I was performing at a graduation party about a week ago and, as always, I gave my little disclaimer about not trusting online instructions. After the show, someone came up from the audience and told me that he was going to learn online, and I could not stop him. *eyeroll*

Seriously, guys, there's nothing wrong with wanting to do this, but find a real teacher. The real people (like me) who do this train for years. Sure, you might be able to do it without getting burned, but when a single teeny tiny mistake can burn your lungs and make you suffocate to death, do you really want to chance it?

This might sound kind of wimpy but I don't think Paraffin Oil tastes very good so what if you filled a water balloon with paraffin and put it in your mouth clenched the tip shut with your teeth and then opened your mouth and the balloon would propel the oil out and maybe igniting.

I was at Philmont, and we just switched cooks, so I was helping the cooks learn how to use the stove. My friend couldn't get the white gas to work, so he asked me to do it. The problem is that he forgot to turn of the gas. I lit it with a match, and almost burned myself with a 6 foot flame. Other people from my troop were in a 10 foot ditch getting water from the river and could see the flame.

This is pretty good. How do you all think a coffee can for the container for the oil and a piece of cotton for a wick would work? I want to make a big and inexpensive torch that lasts for at least a few hours.

actually it was a truck that we did it to chase threw a cigarette in to the bed on to dry corn husks and tumble weeds we had been picking up and they lit which lit the spare gas can but we got it out eventuality

Quick question, Kerosene will melt rubber, and eat it away, would it by chance screw with the glue used to affix permanent wire retainers behind one's teeth? Due to my crappy teeth, i have a thin strip of wire behind my front teeth now, after the nightmare of braces, with some hard plastic-esque glue. would it eat it away or would i be safe to do it?

do not use alcohol!!!!! its not working! never use it. it'll burn your mouth. using kerosene and gasoline is common in my place (indonesia) for fire breathing. my friends use it all the time. but alcohol? please dont.

with repetition it can. it can erode tooth enamel. your mouth and throat is made of mucus membrane, which absorbs various substances pretty well. you can develop some mouth and throat irritation from the kerosene. I know circus performers that do it 3 to 4 times a week and don't have lasting issues. I think you would have to do it every day for a good while before you would have problems. DON'T SWALLOW IT!!! if you swallow any you need to call poison control.

I did it with some paraffin and swallowed like a quarter of a teaspoon, will this do anything bad or is swallowing only something to be concerned about if you swallow a whole mouth full? It was my first time and given what people have said about using paraffin, I think I won't use it again

oo also, i use a bright purple bleach-type bottle, these are great because not only would no-one be stupid enough to drink from it, but it also has a child safety cap on, and a small removable nozzle in the top so you can squirt directly onto the tourch, and remove it to re-fill with a funell :) also, you can get different sizes, depending on your outing!

drinking any sort of alkali will help before hand, i like to use milk of magnesia, i suppose you could go as far as toothpaste if your desperate! could i suggest moving the 'its dangerous' part to the top and the 'its safer than you think' part to the end? some horrific accidents have happened and i think these should be noted before people even consider doing this. just one small breath of the paraffin particles can put you in hospital for months! overall, great instructable, was very good and brilliantly detailed, with safety nicely considered :) though i dont think it should have been featured as it could tempt people jsut stumbling across it to try it! Godd work and keep it up :)

I have a very specific question that hopefully one of you more experience performers can answer. I always have used ultra-pure lamp oil and always will. I try to take things as slow as possible to avoid breathing in any atomized oil, breathe only through the nose etc. I perform pretty much never more than a half dozen times a year. Given all that, what is the risk of aspirating more than a negligible ("safe") amount of oil? (We're constantly exposed to nasty things, dioxin, chloroform, etc, but they all are below limits which are Generally Regarded As Safe). I really enjoy doing it, but I also don't want to mess up my lungs on top of the work I do as a chemist and just sort of all around pyro.

I am an experienced Fire Performer, member of the Grasshopper Fire Arts Collective, I have taught "Advanced Fire Breathing" at WildFire Fire Arts Training Retreat, and I also teach breathwork workshops without incorporating Fire. I have also been Fire Breathing for three years without a single burn or incident. That being said, perhaps you will listen to what I have to say...

DO NOT FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS

1)DO NOT USE KEROSENE: "Ultra-Pure Lamp Oil" (that's the brand name), in the same family as Kerosene, but extremely purified. If you buy kerosene at the hardware store to breathe with, I sure hope you know a good Oncologist. I asked my local hardware store to order a case of Ultra-Pure for me, and after a few strange looks, they did.

2)Fire Breathing is a dangerous art - it REALLY helps to have the individualized attention of an experienced breather to help you minimize risk and maximize effect. Variables such as Aperture, Breath Power, Epiglottial engagement, Duration, and diaphragmatic breathing are NOT addressed in this article.

3)Torch: If you're breathing fire for the first time, you want the BEST materials - a first-time homemade torch is only going to increase the risk factor. Order a torch from www.Bearclawmfg.com or www.Copperheadfire.com

4)Injuries: There are serious and potentially fatal risks involved. Risk assessment and reduction are pivotal. Factors such as wind, lighting, safety training, emergency medical access, and more are NOT covered here. It is possible to burn off your face, scorch the inside of your lungs or worse landing you in a hospital bed if you practice this without proper safety training.

5)Alternative Fuels: The article does not mention this, but there has been conversation about 151 drinking alcohol. I advise against this as it will intoxicate you simply from being in your mouth. One breath, fine. But if you're looking to do a performance, it is an undeniable increase in risk factor to be breathing fire under the influence of alcohol - I don't care how well you hold your booze. Also, the viscosity of 151 is not equivalent to Lamp Oil making for less structured breaths and more challenging sustains. I have heard of people using olive oil with 151 successfully, but I have only witnessed failed attempts with this mixture. While I do not use Isporopyl Alcohol (I prefer Ultra-Pure) I know of other Fire Artists who do use it for indoorfire-breathing. They say it is easier to control and does not leave behind nasty smells or smoke. Go put some on your finger and touch it to your tongue, that was enough for me to never even think of it - but if you can make it work, rock it out.

6)Responsibility: The author of this article displays a lack of responsibility, by informing people how to do something very dangerous without properly addressing the widely and professionally accepted safety concerns. If Safety First if true, why is it step number 6?

If you have questions for me, please feel free to contact me:Gabriel [at] GrasshopperCollective.org

Please keep in mind that the information contained within these links is partial and by no means intended to be comprehensive. You could spend decades refining techniques of breathing, and many have. My hope is that you rediscover this amazing thing called life that is always happening, whose most immediate expression is breath.

As much fun as this looks, there are some SERIOUS injuries not covered, mainly blowback. There is always the chance that the aerated fuel goes back into your body and then burns up. Accidental inhalation post blow, not blowing hard enough, wind change... Go to www.homeofpoi.com and get their free video for an interview with a woman who had this happen, 8 weeks of coma, months of convalescence, years of therapy, permanent damage. Voice changes can occur over time, not to mention increased cancer risk. Next day you'll still reek of fuel. Talk to veteran fire performers, a lot of them won't touch the stuff, or if they do, it's on a rare occasion. p.s. Don't even think of adding heavy metal colourants to your fuel, I've seen that done and damn is that dumb.

lol, u go get them ants :P i lit a fire on top of an ant hill at my house once. I think i killed most of them, but they just kept streaming out of the hole, and getting roasted ??? will they ever learn? :P

hi I've been fire breathing with paraffin for a year now and feel its too harmful to my body! I'm interested to know if you get the same effect with 151 rum and is the flash point high and if is do you find this a problem? thanks sorry so many questions.

so just how illegal is this? can you legally do it on your own property? how about a park? in the street late at night? is there a permit required to do this? if so how old do you have to be to get the permit? thank you for your time!

As already stated, if you're on private property you're essentially good to go - but I would advise considering insurance issues. Even if it's on your own property, if you have some friends over and one of them gets hurt, you're looking at a big liability mess. If you are in ANY sort of public space (park, street, etc.) you need to have a permit from the local Fire Marshal, and other city codes may come into play as well (varies from city to city). I'm fairly certain you'd have to be a minimum of 18 to obtain said permits. Some Fire Marshalls won't even consider it, regardless of your experience, preparedness, etc. (we have Great White to thank for that one). Also, all professional fire performers carry their own specific liability insurance (yes it's totally different from any other insurance like health, homeowners, etc.). Many also take the extra step of getting their pyrotechnics license as well.

i am using part of a collapsible fishing pole with a cotton ball on top and i just change the cotton ball when needed the cotton ball is held on by a bent up paper clip it is way more convenient because it can go from 6 inches to a foot and a half (it fits in your pocket or a sand which sized zip lock bag) and the best part about it is that the torch reeked of kerosene but the fishing pole has no scent of kerosene once you remove the cotton ball the fire breathing is a lot of fun because there are no deserted places in my town but i found that the best place to do it is this area where only stoners hang out, so there is usually an audience of people that are insanely impressed

meh - screwing around in your own yard is a bit more "unofficial" - just pointing out some of the risks.yeah sorry I don't have any userpics uploaded yet! :)but if you'd like to see some performance pics, go here:http://pics.livejournal.com/rant79thanks! :)

Really, the question is how likely are your neighbors to call the cops? My neighbors would be at the fence with a camera and their kids saying "Oh look, the neighbor man's finally lost it! Stay back. Mijo, go get a fire extinguisher in case the wind shifts." If you do it in a park the cop might try to ticket you for open burning without a permit, reckless endangerment, or any other violation which tries to make stupidity a crime. I've had cops take model rockets before just to be assholes, and I've had cops tell me to take my potato cannon out to state land where only cows are around so I don't get a ticket for the noise. If you do it in the street you'll probably end up on the news even if it's not illegal. But no, you probably won't get arrested unless you live somewhere really uptight or do it near trees. And the fines around here aren't that high, so I'd just try it and see who stops me.

Ouch, man. I've done some stuff there. Here in Denver, if you do anything pyro-like downtown, the cops are all over you, but if you go out to the suburbs, you're okay, probably. Last I met them the Fort Collins cops wouldn't have arrested me for this, but maybe stay on private property just to be safe. Maybe way out east on county road 14 if you feel the compulsion to do it somewhere else. Last I saw, that was pretty deserted.

u can aply to get a busking permit if you take a circus corse in fire and have the corect safety gear, i have none of these however, after perfecting my chosen fire acts i just do privet party's and make shore the host signs a disclaimer

tetranitrate I understand your point but safety nerds are rife in the internet and I was ondering how in the hell you managed for that photo to be taken in daylight, the detail in the fire's great... I used to be a bit of a pyro and experimented with fire breathing in my opinion kerosene is far less dangerous than pure alcohol which burns, gives ya cotton mouth , ignites a bit too fast for my liking and can put ya blind for a few minutes if swallowed... Kerosene is not that dangerous to your system and is reccomended as a worm prevention by drinking one small cup a day as it's hydrocarbons are undigestable or some such.... What's your preference on afters, mint aint much use but milk and bread sem good, any others. Also last thing have you tried fire hands?, the idea is to create a glove which outside of acts as a wick andthe inside is heatproof. my ovenglove coated in flexible exhaust joint paste and wrapped in tea towels was quite fun but the material has to be really absorbent or dense to keep the flame from burning as big as in a torch.

Aww thats cute, I have an enemy. Anyway, you probably didnt read this at all, so I think I am going to have to fill you in. Like I stated, kerosene has an extremely high flash point, meaning its not very flammable, it almost requires a wick to burn at all. So it is unlikely that you will ever set any part of your skin on fire, as for you clothes you need to be more careful just wear a cotton tshirt and jeans, it will minimize the risk. With that being said, as long as you have the wet towel in your hand, it is unlikely that you will ever even get a first degree burn from doing this. Ive gotten worse burns from drinking hot cups of coffee then I ever have from firebreathing. But your entitled to your opinion no matter how inaccurate it may be. Just remember this, the next time you are eating breakfast and are about to take a sip of hot coffee, you need to ask yourself, is it worth it?

just to say one thing - your nieve This only focuses on the performance side of firebreathing, plus anyone who reads this, tries it and harms themselves they can sue you. plus you have not put the serious side effects that this can cause like two of the most serious - cancer (someone has lost there bottom jaw to cancer because of fire breathing) and worst of all death! if you think you cant get burned form dopin this you are seriously wrong! if any proper perfromer were to see this they would be just as astonished as i am + not to mention all the others who have already commented on how much stuff you have chosen to leave out. One of the most well known injuries from firebreathing is this; a well known performer known as pele suffered a blowback, this cause her to be in a coma for 2 weeks when she came out of it her lungs had to be repeatedly sucked out thougha hole in her neck and she had to learn to breath and swollow all over again. moving onto the comment that you put above, i have read the whole thing, and you are a compleat novice who only cares aboubt looking good and not about safety - firebreathing is the most dangerous of all the fire arts! and just because it has a high flash point dosn't mean that it wont set on fire. plus you can get all three types of burns from fire breathing so stop being so idiotic if anyone wants to know the proper information about fire breathing and the rest of the fire arts then go to this site: www.homeofpoi.com its has proper tutorials and to finish off, you are a typical american who cant be proven wrong, grow up

come on! wheres your spirit? i mean your name is pyromaniac, so as long as it is dangerous and has a lot of fire shouldn't you enjoy it? if you really are a pyromaniac then you should know that most things fire-related are pretty damn dangerous.

To start where you finished off I am not a "typical" American and I can be proven wrong, it just does not look like your the person to do it.

Ive re-read your comment a few times looking for some valid points to negate, however despite your long multi-paragraph response, the only real things I found were grammatical errors and spelling mistakes ("form dopin", is that the form druggies need to fill out before they go dopin?). I dont claim to spell correctly all the time, but at least I try to capitalize correctly make coherent sentences.

I just re-read your statement again and am still having a hard time finding out what point you are trying to make. First off, you seem to be under the impression that somewhere I said "You can not be burned by doing this" because you claim that you can get all three types of burns. However, to get third degree burns you need to be on fire for a while, and, unless you do not realize you are on fire, I do not see putting out the fire taking long enough for third degree burns to result. As a demonstration of how quickly a fire can be put out I set my pants on fire, and used a dry towel to smother it, so if using the recommended wet towel, it would be even quicker (Ive already thought of any liar liar jokes associated with setting my pants on fire)

As for the blowbacks, I do state that they are dangerous and to avoid them at all cost, yet from following my own instructions I have never had one, horray for me. As for the dangers of cancer, I kinda just assumed people knew that nothing good could come of putting dangerous chemicals in their mouths and would accept the risks, however since this is more of a recreational guide then a professional guide I also assumed that they wouldent be doing it nearly as much as a professional would, and therefore (using simple logic) have a reduced risk of all of the dangers associated with firebreathing.

Well I hope you enjoyed my rebuttal, and enjoyed the video because pyromantic, I was shaking my flaming junk around just for you.

"As a demonstration of how quickly a fire can be put out I set my pants on fire,"

"Well I hope you enjoyed my rebuttal, and enjoyed the video because pyromantic, I was shaking my flaming junk around just for you."

TN, you're my fucking hero. Don't you just love all the people with a sum total of 0 instructables posted commenting on stuff? I don't get where all the common sense went I get the same garbage with my permanganate/glycerine demo.

I always thought it was a general assumption that fire is generally dangerous, and needs to be treated with respect. All the "omfg blowback will kill your family" shit comments only really apply to the lower 10% of the gene pool. Most people in burn units either a) had a disaster which was completely out of their control or b) got there of their own stupidity, like shooting firecrackers out of their ass. Quite honestly, I don't give a shit if those people burn their face to ash, lose their jaw, fall in front of a bus, and die in a fire, because, well, think of it as cleaning the gene pool. Humans as a species have come the closest to halting evolution in the least amount of time moreso than ANY other creature on earth. I think every human should read up on the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium theory before they bitch about liability. I think we should remove the common sense warning labels i.e. "Caution: Hot when heated."

/bitchnmoan

Would it be possible to cut the kerosene with a light oil, like extra-virgin olive oil? If it didn't improve the taste, it would at least facilitate getting rid of the kerosene from your mouth. Hell, you could even flavor it with like mint or basil.Culinary Firebreathing!

Well to be fair to the naysayers a blowback did kill my father, and raped my mother, but other than that I've never had any problems with them.

I have never tried cutting it with a lighter oil, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. The Italian in me likes the thought of using olive oil. (Olive oil is like the multi tool for Italians, they really use it for everything)

OMG ur my fucking IDOL!!! (excuse language.. but it is being used in a nice way and im drunk.. cut me some slack) i'm gonna be posting alot of instructables ideas i have next year when the police should be off my back a little more and doing less routine checks on my belongings.. because hey an instructable is hardly anything without pictures, yes? and i'll be out of home prolly flatting then.

so what happened to pele means nothing, and not to mention many other people who have had their face set on fire. not all people are as valiant as you and most of them will panic and probably end up inhaling fumes and fire, and if you that stupid that you cant recognise a typo then you rearly are dumbalso that was jeans not skin so i would like to see a vid of you setting your face on fire and putting it out, but then again that would mean that i proved you wrong, diddums.before attemting firebreathing the person should know everything there is to know about it and thats including health and safetyand as for saying "So it is unlikely that you will ever set any part of your skin on fire" most people will read that as you never will so they dont need to bother about that. i suggest you actually look at http://www.homeofpoi.com/articles/FireBreathing.php and read that and get some proper information

to finish just because something hasnt happed to you doesn't mean that it wont happen to anyone else an later on to you

What happened to pele was tragic, however she admitted that she didnt listen to her instincts and she said that she didnt feel safe doing it in those conditions, however she did it anyway and her accident was what resulted. She talked about other accidents also, however those accidents also resulted from people doing stupid things, such as soaking their shirt in water for protection, or wearing chainmail armor while doing it. If you panic and end up inhaling the fumes then you will suistain lung damage like pele, no doubt about it. I can recognize your typos, I was just saying, if you were really serious, then you should put a little more effort in to trying to argue with me. Take .775 volts for example, he left a coherent, well thought out comment including good advice and helpful tips that I hadnt included, and because of him this instructable is a better place. As opposed to your comments and solidcube's comments which just seem to include unfounded bickering and name calling (wtf is a diddums?). As for setting myself on fire, the most likely thing that would catch on fire while firebreathing is your clothes, not your skin, so setting my jeans on fire should have been enough. However to satisfy your sadistic demands I set my hand on fire ( I actually did one where I set my face on fire but I was making a funny face so I didnt like the way the photo came out).

Tetra, you're hilarious. BTW, I would just like to add on thing for all those griping safety fanatics: Honestly, I don't believe he has to mention safety in his instructable. I think if anyone is stupid enough not to know common fire safety, they don't need to be doing this and if they do, any injuries are their fault - not Tetra's. He doesn't force anyone to do it, and doesn't force anyone to do it unsafely just by not writing a complete report on everything that could happen from burns to ant bites that you can seem to stop itching. Personally, I'm sick of people assuming everyone else is stupid. I'm sick of the American culture feeling that everything they do and the consequences of their actions are someone else's fault - be it the the person who told them how to do it and forgot to mention "use common sense" or the guy who owns the property they maimed themselves on.

As a professional fire performer, I must say this is a very good tutorial for the art of "playing dragon". You are absolutely correct Tetra, if one follows your instructions to the letter, it is very unlikely they will get burned at all, much less severely burned. Some additional stuff however. The rules of fireplay: 1. Fire is hot, if you play with it long enough you WILL get burned, and chances are, at least once it will be pretty severe. Accept this if you want to play with fire, though I will admit, I have yet to be burned from bursts, all of my burns so far (well over 5000 shows) have resulted from having lit torches in my mouth. 2. Heat rises. Be sure to burst in an upward direction so that the flames do not rise up at you. 3. KNOW YOUR CHEMICALS!!!! I cannot stress this enough, I have seen far too many performers hurt by using too volatile of a spitting fuel. One idiot did it with white gas and did end up with 3rd degree burns over much of his face and head. Alcohol (for the old 151 trick) is also a really bad idea, as not only is it too volatile, leading to blowback, but it is also really bad to get drunk while doing this. A good rule of thumb is if you can ignite it on a surface, don't spit it. Personally, I prefer lamp oil over kero, as it is a good bit cleaner, and available in pretty colors... 4. ALWAYS have a safety team on standby to put you out if it becomes necessary. Also, a few tips... to minimize/prevent chem burns, rub vasaline around your mouth to form a barrier (no, it WILL NOT ignite) And, a rinse out of olive oil beforehand will help keep you from absorbing fuel through your mouth minimizing the carcinagenic effects of your fuel. No instructable can ever replace proper training from a pro, but at least those who would be stupid enough to do what I do without that training, may walk into it aware (intellectually, at least) of how to do it the "safe" way (safe being a relative term)

uh solidcube dude you need to get out more and acually try something fun like this instructable for once instead of video games all day or whatever it is you do and did you read the part where he says to have a fire extinuisher, a bucket of water, and a wet towel. because if you did than you would know that this is not remotely dangerous compared to the things i do.

Guys, maybe I was a bit overly aggressive. It's just that I've seen people who have had their faces burned off. I've heard the horrible shrieks that come from burn units. It's like nothing you've ever heard before, there's something about the sound that's almost nauseating. From my perspective as someone who has been to a burn unit, someone who plays with flammable liquids is unbelievably foolhardy. Someone who advocates playing with flammable liquids is unforgivably irresponsible. If you think it's cool, go check out a burn unit. If you don't want to do that, ask yourself why.

I don't think you're being overly aggressive at all. I'm a semi-retired professional fire manipulator. I've been at the point of doing 5 shows a day / 15 a week, and I can tell you: every time I see people posting stuff like this, I cringe. I think of all the possible horrible accidents from people not being trained correctly, and it is my opinion that you just can't learn something like this from a video. I've had two apprentices in my career, and I only brought them on after MONTHS of consideration, and then rigorous, yet slow and steady training. Not to mention how much of a guilt factor came into play - my apprentices did extremely well and learned properly... but even still I don't know WHAT I would do if one of them got seriously injured.

but dude it is still everybody's right to take these risks and it is true bad things can happen but its not your right to judge someone by the risks they take or on the mistakes they make only on the wholesomeness of there character

Wholesomeness of character is a complete and utter red herring, with the exception of the fact that I have to question the responsibility of the kind of person who would make this information available with only the most minimal regard to safety. Since burning liquid isn't enough for you, check out kerosene's hazmat data sheet. He's advocating putting it in your mouth, what's so hard to understand about this?

yes, thoroughly and if someone doesn't want to do it then they don't also your acting like he said to use nitroglycerin or something because Kerosene got a rating of health=0 flammability=2 and reactivity=0 i got this from here

Between someone who can't spell and use proper punctuation, and someone who can, I will side with the person who can spell and use proper punctuation. Especially if the person who can't is advocating or enabling something as shockingly unsafe as this.

If you believe playing with flaming liquids is safe, you're stupid.I got this from here

I appreciate your saying that. Understand, I'm not trying to be some sort of wet blanket on anybody's fun with fire. My last experience with playing with flammable substances was in 1986. I ended up having to put out a styrofoam fire in an 8x8 basement room by beating out the flames with wet laundry. The entire room was full of flames and black, stringy smoke. It is nothing short of astonishing that I didn't die or get burned. I didn't, after three trips I was able to throw enough wet clothing onto the flames to put the fire out. Many people don't have much of a concept of what fire is and how dangerous it is and what it can do to the human body. Fire is to skin much like fire is to saran wrap. If you're blowing impressive fireballs, then a tiny mistake or momentary safety lapse after 300 perfectly safe blows could end up with you or someone else getting horribly disfigured. Is this amount of fun worth getting horribly burned for? Do you really think that it's safe just because circus carnies have done it? Is there any kind of fun on this site that would be FAR MORE FUN THAN THIS without getting disfigured? Guys, I beg of you to guard your face because it's the only one you get. Imagine the pain of seeing pretty girls look at you with horror and disgust and pity, because you wanted to look cool. Is what I'm saying really so terrible?

Excuse me are you retarded? you are saying that having correct grammar means you understand all about fire and safety hazards, personally I would go with the person who doesn't light Styrofoam indoors, in their 8x8 basement, and then assume everyone else is as stupid as they themselves are.

You are apparently advocating putting a flammable substance in your mouth and blowing it out in front of your face. You are calling fire predictable. And then you ask me if I'm retarded. Far be it from me to prevent you, Darwin acts in mysterious ways.

If you blow a flammable, but non explosive substance out of your mouth and then light it it will flame for about a nanosecond, you need to be stuck in a fire for a long time to get a burn of anykind, I have seen blacksmiths flick bits of red hot metal off their anvils bare handed.

And I've carried an 8 quart bowl with a quart of burning butane in it... 45 feet. Through my house... (flame about 1 foot wide and 4.5 feet tall or more) I wouldn't recommend it as a safe activity though. I think that aspirating and burning a mouthful of clean cool-burning fuel is about a thousand times safer. Still enough risk as to be wise to use a safety. Think of it as good showmanship, having a firesafety standing by with wool blanket and appropriate extinguisher will just make the stunt all the more thrilling for spectators.

no, your message is good but the way you said it and the generalizations you used made you sound (no offense meant whatsoever by saying this) less credible less informed and most of all less in touch with or understanding of the people that would do this

"the people who would do this?" that's a generalization right there. You have no way of knowing what 11 year old kid is reading this site. I'm not so much concerned about guys who have been firespinning at drumcircles since 1993.

I must tell you that the screams you are hearing are not from people with third degree burns. Or, if they are, then they are screaming because of the bad second degree burns. Third degree burns go through the flesh so thoroughly that all the nerves are dead, ergo, no pain at the time of the burn. It's when they start to heal that's a bitch. Just thought you should know.

Wow, I just posted a comment in regards to your stupid comment about cigs and upon scrolling to the end of the page I find another stupid comment. What are the odds that stupid comment belongs to the same guy? Apparently, they are excellent. "Carisine" is so far off the corrent spelling it's not even worth correcting - good for a laugh though. "Boozes" was equally amusing. lol Anyway, did you not see the 101 comments saying NOT to use alcohol? 4'5" ? You better learn that they prefer the term "dwarf" as you are quite close to being a dwarf.

Dude, I work as a nurse in a large hospital. They don't use orderlies anymore, nor have they for many years. And orderlies certainly wouldn't be holding anyone down or debriding wounds, as per the patient bill of rights. I fear you may be talking out of your rectum, my friend. That being said, the biggest risks involved with firebreathing are definitely respiratory. They range from firebreather's pneumonia as mentioned above, to collapsed lungs from accidental inhalation of the burning fumes, to a possible link to various cancers, particularly those of the lungs, throat, and mouths. I am aware of these risks and still choose to spit fire. As an adult, I have that right, as does anyone who comes on this site and understands the risks.

Finster, I find it very surprising that someone who works in a hospital would be so blase about something like this. I'm also rather amazed at the negative reaction my post received. The catch in your post is "understands the risks." You're making a massive assumption. It's real simple: If you are playing with fire, sooner or later you're going to make a mistake. Look at the picture above, for christs sake. One mistake and he could be immolated. You could have flammable liquid on your shirt and not know it, or who knows what else. As for my hospital experience, it's been quite a while since I've been in there and maybe things have changed, but I also have to wonder if you've been in the same burn units as I have, or in burn units at all. You seem to have kind of a "whatever" attitude about this whole thing. Fire is some massively unpredictable stuff, and it's always people who laugh it off who end up getting burned. Think about what you're advocating. Basically, I think once you're not wet behind the ears anymore, and once you see a few horribly burned children, you'll be a little more chary about advising people to play with flammable liquids. Not only is it extremely irresponsible but I believe it to be a massive liability issue for both the original poster and Instructables as a whole. I stand by my initial statement that anyone who does this is dumber than rocks, and the original poster and any other advocates are unforgivably irresponsible. You're a bunch of kids telling each other this shit is safe and I'm here to tell ya it's not.

Yes, absolutely predictable... but changeable when conditions change. If you look on any website that hires out fire performers... you will almost always find that 2 is the fewest performers you can hire, because PROS work with someone who acts as a safety for them. It can sometimes take a few seconds for one to notice one has set onesself afire... and an alert helper can save thousands in hospital bills. Unless you live in Canada, where it may not save you any money but would be smart anyway. I'm very thoroughly acquainted with fire, and I respect it. I still occasionally play with it though.

ummm I'm naturally irresponsible and have no ability to feel guilt worry and have a very stupid biological reaction to fear... Due to the fact that my body eggs me on with endorphins and adrenaline with each step I take. I am still standing despite having a bad habit of jumping at the deep end, quite literally in some cases. He's advocating the blowing of fire, and showing the safest and most correct way of doing it rather than letting people use trial and error and end up in the burns unit, this way little timmy has a chance.

Wait, let me get this straight. I just read your other posts. You're against firebreathing but okay with throwing around x-acto blade ninja stars? Really? That being said, the main thrust of your arguments has been "This shit is dangerous. Don't do it." My point is that any ADULT who sees someone breathing flames and thinks to themselves "Wow. I couldn't possibly be injured by trying something like that," is beyond any of our abilities to educate them on what danger is.

sorry buddy. but tetranitrate has showed many safety precautions... example... using kerosene, not gasoline... which im sure some people would be stupid enough to try. he said to drink milk after, to help absorb the kerosene. and he also told us to wipe our face with a wet towel.... now... if yerr face was on fire.. u could just smother yerrself with the towel. the chances of third degree burns would be minimum. all in all yes, there are some people who are too stupid to understand fire and to take safety precautions, but there our others... who take all the precautions... like tetra said... all hes ever gotten were minor burns on his lips.

i have been on fire several hundred time in my life and I've never had to go to hospital, i did go to the doctor to ask would the hairs on my legs grow back, My brother and I held a party and I did my usual trousers of fire trick, he sprayed deo up the leg of my trousers, suddenly I got hot, the air inside my jeans was burning , lets just say thank god for elasticated boxers which sealed my vitals in well enough to get out unscathed, later that nigth all was nursed better, by a shower and an aquaintance... Theoretically I should be seriously scarred... The people freaking out are the ones that don't understand risk taking, they don't see any difference between taking risks and suicide, as long as survival chances are about 30% and over I'll give it a go... By the way the guy below has the right Idea, my doctor smokes, last appointment was done outside because we were both craving nicotine...

Umm no I was with a like minded girl, or possibly my friend shaved me... She didn't seem to know either but both of us conked out... It's quite possible I spontaneously combusted a little, seems to happen alot... Was out last night and my lighter leaked in my pocket while smoking go to put it back in and a big blast of flame shoots out... The money in there was unharmed...

besides... the whole point of taking risks is the danger and fun of it all. if there is the possibility of being lit of fire.... and you escape it, then its fun. obviously the opposite would not be, but still, the risk in risk taking is the fun of it all (besides the fact that its pretty sweet if you can blow 7 foot flames out of your mouth =)) .

It's a reallly satisfying thing to do but risky, well I blew a 2 foot flame outta the hole that burnt out my trousers, the second flame burst through i hit around it and blast of flame burst out, thankfully removing the fire from inside my trousers, I really like those jeans but they have a heart shaped burn hole a few inches to the right of the crotch.

I'll get somthing pink to put behind and post it for you... Waking up the next morning was not fun, I'd pulled so I assumed I'd gone overboard in bed the I saw my trousers on the floor and realised tha my legs felt a bit silky on it against the fabric, quick check... 'uh oh what exactly happended last night, I can't put these things together...'

I got alot of issues but drinking isn't one of them lol when was fifteen or so I was worse, but on a good night out I wont remember things whether I'm sober or not, I tend to feel memories rather than flashbacks... So I remember having fun etc but not what happened as such... It's funny because I have issues... and fizzy vodka is rather tasty, especially with a hint of any citrus fruit, it tastes very different when the alcohol tast is dimmed down a bit but you get hit was faster which is bit of downfall...

haha... what's even 'dumber' is saying "flaming liquids" ;) or did we loose you at flash point? As for the fuck part... really, is that dumb? well, in some cases maybe (we get to hear their lovely monologues)... But I'd try explaining to your parents why it was so dumb and why your parent's children came from a dumb action (which was hopefully longer than ten seconds of cool).... /rant

I know you guys are using kerosene, but why not use alcohol? Wouldn't a mouthful of Jack, or Everclear give you a good enough fireball, without the risk of ingesting harmful chemicals? Worse thing that happens with Jack, is you might get a little drunk!! A little sidenote, I saw on one of those true videos shows, a guy trying to blow a fireball using gasoline. I laughed my ass off! Why? If he was dumb enough to use gasoline, he deserved to get laughed at. At least you are using a flammable with a high flashpoint.

Using the same principle as a grain dust explosion? I never thought of firebreathing that way, but back in high school me and my buddies would light fires in an old metal drum and have fun spraying various powders into them and watch the fireballs. Powdered milk was fun, and non-dairy creamer does kind of an interesting ember thing inthe air right before it fireballs.

yah pretty much, but if you dry your mouth out first you wont need as much and you will get the hang of it the first times i tried it i started choking on the powdered sugar lol! just when you put it in your mouth breath through your nose

Paraffine oil is kerosene, they are the exact same thing, its just paraffin is the UK term for it. You are right though, you only want to use 100% paraffin oil / kerosene because any impurities can make you really sick And yes I probably should mention something about chemical pnemonia, you are right that it is actually more harmful to get this stuff into your lungs then your stomach. Its also known as firebreathers pnemonia, probably because no other hobby requires putting dangerous chemical in your mouth.

Here is my two cents from fire breathing for a number of years: -only use paraffin oil, high proof alcohol gets you drunk, not a good idea (I have experimented with other fuels like veggie oil which crackles and smells like French fries) -practice fire safety, a marine fire extinguisher isn't a bad idea for fuel fires, water doesn't help too much, only spreads the fuel out -a towel to wipe the mouth is pivotal, its a mistake most make, each time you breath you need to wipe your mouth of excess fuel -don't breath back in afterwards, you can scorch your lungs if the fire blows back -its dangerous, duh, use extreme caution. Just as a heads up this can be considered illegal in some states in the US (open flame law I think), I've been warned for blowing fire for a friends show near a street

Glenderson has some excellent pointers here. I would like to add another consideration: fuel inhalation. Somewhat similar to what he points out with breathing back in after a blow - but it doesn't have to necessarily be ignited to damage your lungs. A long time, very talented and very responsible fire performer nearly died after an incident like this. It goes to show that even if you're at the top of the game, accidents still happen.

Hey kiddo. I'm sure you're just trying to figure this all out, and you've made some progress obviously. But I have got to say, and for the sake of other people who are trying to do the same thing: This is pretty inaccurate instruction. I'm a professional fire manipulator. The methods explained in this post only cover about 25% of what you need to know before engaging in this art. Not only are some major safety issues and risks not covered, but barely anything of proper technique is discussed. Also, never ever EVER do any fire stunts without a trained safety spotter with you. All that being said, I would very much like to open up a discussion on this topic. If anyone has questions, I'd be glad to talk. I can't promise I'll give away all of the "tricks of the trade," but I'm more than happy to talk.

Just a little tip I picked up. One thing I like to do is take a tube sock and cut the top off, soak it in water, and wear it like an arm band, a) it's good practice to wipe your mouth between shots in general and b) I've heard facial hair makes an excellent wick... Sometimes it just takes a few seconds too long to grab a towel.

OK, someone may have discussed this already. ... but from all the research I did prior to "eating fire" and my own experiences, petroleum naptha is best to use for eating fire, and kerosene is best for blowing fire... many physics laws behind these principles. as far as laws, arguing with police can be interesting, but mainly as long as the fire is on a "stick" in your hand and going into your mouth, and you are on private property, there are really no laws about sticking a flaming stick in your mouth. However, as I learned, lighting a pool of water on fire IS illegal within city limits as it is then considered an "open flame"

There is an instructable telling you how to low flames WITHOUT using dangerous/explosive/not healthy things like kerosen. You just blow flour or corn starch (particle explosion) , and you won't be swallowing something best left outside the body.

the way I learned was to practice in front of a bathroom mirror. From about 3 feet away, take some water in your mouth and blow towards the mirror. You want a fine mist on the mirror, with no big droplets that run down the mirror. Keep practicing until the mirror is covered with tiny little drops, and no big drops or streaks in there.

hi, great 'ible as always just a suggestion on making the torch... i'm planning on making a fire staff soon (i've had the plans for a while and have just got some pipe from an old clothes rack so i just need the wick)in my plans, i'm using metal pipe with a dowel inside it, wrap the wick on the pipe, drill through both, put dowel in the middle then use screws with washers to go through the wick and pipe and attach to dowel. i think it would hold better and probably look neater than wraping it and tucking it into itself. also, you said about ebay for the wick, but a good place if youre in the uk is firetoys.co.uk

Using petroleum based fluids in your mouth is crazy. You will die if you do this. We use a grain alcohol called "Everclear" which is combustible and safe to ingest if you accidentally swallow it. I can't believe there are people who are stupid enough to do this.

Grain alcohol is FAR too combustible for fire blowing. You'll change your tune when someone catches a bad draft the fumes ignite down there windpipe. Seen it happen. Interior 3rd degree burns are not a fun thing to watch. Kerosene (or better yet, liquid paraffin/pure lamp oil) only ignites when atomized and will only give you the runs if you swallow it.

Recently, my biggest struggle is to make a torch that can be kept in a pocket for easy transport. I've had some success with a laser pointer shell which I water-proofed (or rather kero-proofed) filled with kero and with a cotton wick out the hole, but I've found the kero burns out too quickly. If anyone has any suggestions...

Take a zippo wick (around 50p), some lighter fluid and make a small torch with a cap, make a ring at the top of the zippo wick and it should keep lit enough to do the job, or a souped up lighter works under dire need...

That is just the way the photo came out. The clothesline is a few feet behind my head and the house is 10 ft to my left. I also was paying attention to the direction of the wind. Im not sure if you can tell but in the first few times in the video I was facing the other direction, and the wind pulled it back towards me, so I changed direction.

Lol, I noticed that in the video. The way you changed direction after it blew back at you. Also you are very lucky, in the third picture on this step those flames came very close to your face. Oh yeah and you mentioned in the intro you like being told how crazy you are, well I'm not going to get over the fact that you make touch powder anytime soon. I know of a person who blew off a hand doing that and ever since it has always seemed too risky for me. Lol, thanks for the instructable it was very good.

dude i have been fire breathing for over a year now and have continued to master several other fire acts thing is u have forgotten one of the key factors in fire breathing, always do it facing away from the wind, i learnt this the hard way much to displeasure of my girlfriend who is regularly complaining about my uneven eye brow growth

Hi, recently i tried fire-breathing using cornflour and a fire-lighter on a skewer, it worked perfectly (after about twenty attempts). But after reading these comments i have to ask, will using cornflour/icing sugar etc. cause any illnesses/cancers or anything along those lines???? Stupidly i didnt take into account the fact that taking risks like these are seriously dangerous before attempting amateur fire-breathing. BTW Great Instructable!!!!!!!!!

i couldnt help but say that wtf r u thinking? telling people to put kerosene in their mouths??? the fumes damage your brain worse than a cigarrette. try mixing it with water just enough so its still flammable, im a firetwirler and i know firebreathers, they never use kerosene, anyways, the last pic is completely awesome

You are 1 of those people who should not attempt this. As you believe cigarettes do no brain damage, it seems you have been inhabiting a deep, dark hole for a very long time and are likely surprised to learn that man has even made fire.

thank you! great instructable! i used to do this with 101, and sometimes rubbing alcohol. i had to abandon the practice altogether. let me stress, DO NOT TRY EITHER. it leaves a terrible raw mouth, and peeling skin. remember that even if u took a straight shot of 101 it just goes over the tongue and down the gullet. the inside of the cheeks are MUCH more sensitive. even when only holding for 2-3 seconds. thanks again.

haha i would never use kerosene to breathe fire! the one thing i use is pure lamp oil and you can get at at walmart for like 3 bucks for a pretty big bottle. and the good thing about lamp oil is that is has no taste but its the consistency of vegetable oil. but make sure to wipe your mouth after you breathe becuause one of my friends got a bad chemical burn down his neck from it.

i have succeded with powdered sugar. just get a flame and blow away. ive gotten a mouthful and blown three times, hardly any danger of being burned. unless your hair catches on fire like mine.... but im still anxious about trying fluid but sugar works great. supposedly flour and cornstarch work too, but i think powdered sugar would taste the best. note: powdered sugaris also known as icing sugar.

grain alcohol is not the best to use as a fire breathing fuel. It's got one of the highest possibility of blowback. I haven't tried white gas for breathing but it works well for fire-eating and my firetoys. (poi, staff, fans). To be brutally honest, there isn't a "safe" fuel to use and i would definately recommend having a small ABC extinguisher handy. the kids will do it cause they think they're invincible (we all felt that way at their age(s). Adult performers take safety very seriously, not only our own which most of the comments seem to be going on about... but also extremely important is the safety of the audience. If someone gets hurt or property damage - depending on what happens can result in fines, lawsuits, or jail time. not to mention that if something does happen, you and anybody else that wants to do fire there could get banned.

Well, I practiced this alot this weekend and my beautiful face is still beautiful! I found www.homeofpoi.org very helpful as well. Also, one change I made is that I used 100% ultra-pure lamp oil which is uber expensive, but according to the chemical breakdown sheets provided by the manufacturer, it has far fewer cancer-causing chemicals than kerosene. Guys, be safe, be smart, and have lots of fun with this!

First off, I am definitely going to try this this weekend. Secondly, I do agree that www.homeofpoi.com is definitely more thorough, however, if one is serious enough about this, as I am, they would have read at least most of the comments. As per the horror stories, thousands (possibly hundreds of thousands) of people die a year due to car accidents, some of which are caused by drunk people. Do you question getting in your car to get to work the next day? Usually not. Now, this is NOT to say that this has a much higher possibility for injury, but if done correctly with correct safety equipment, then, like any other stunt-type activity (motocross, bungee jumping, hell, even playing football) you will LOWER your chances of getting hurt. This Instructable IS NOT telling you that this is a safe activity, it is just telling you a SAFER way to accomplish it. There are always bad things that can happen, but if you don't do anything daring, then where's the fun? If you want to be 100% safe, never leave your home, make sure that your house meets 120% of building code standards and build a nuclear safety bunker in your basement to hide in in case of alien/communist attacks, but other than that, there are always things that could go wrong, and it's better to be prepared for them then to try to pretend they could never happen. PS: Fricken hilarious statement! "Just remember this, the next time you are eating breakfast and are about to take a sip of hot coffee, you need to ask yourself, is it worth it?"

soo.. would absinthe be any good? or would it have a lower flash point than kerosene? or vice versa...? anyways.. enlighten me whether i should try this or if it would be wasting good absinthe or being likely to blowback possibly.. (btw love the "a blowback did kill my father and rape my mother..." comment u put. very entertaining.)

this looks awsome and i probably will try... but on the kerosene jug at the store(same brand as yours) it says that kerosene is harmful or fatal if swallowed. how easily will you be poisoned and what fuels might be safer? i also heard that this stuff gives you cancer and/or ulcers. I would love to do this though, especially for Halloween. Your faithful Pyro13

you shouldnt..its a spray, right? (i live in australia..no "axe"). although it might work well as a fuel, you have to spray for a while to get a sufficient pool of fuel, and youll end up inhaling potentially deadly amounts of propellant (as well as anything else in the fluid, like things to make it odourless/scents)

yeah you can make a flamethrower from it and if you spray it on your hand you can light it. a really cool effect can be made if you spray it untill there is almost a little pool of axe but only in your palms and cup your hands before you light it then it looks like ur holding a fireball

actually it doest burn your hand if you only leave it for a second, because it is burning the axe not your flesh, but (and im not positive cause im too much of a wuss to try) if you leave it too long, it will burn through the axe and start on your hand.

Ive done it too. if you only leave it for a second, it will not burn your hand, while its still burning the axe. but if you leave it, it will burn you. its better the more you use, because then it has a cooler flame and is less likely to get through quickly. ALWAYS HAVE A BUCKEYT OF WATER OR SOME WAY TO DOUSE THE FLAME NEARBY

thanks but i tryed to spray it into my mouth it tastes so horrible plus when its mixed with spit it won't light so then i tryed it with pure boozes because i was at a bond fire a a guy coughed out some bozes it was really cool

I'm somewhat new to fire eating and breathing and I have a question if you guys would be so kind to answer. first of all I've heard of this stuff called safex pyrofluid is this safer than most fluids such as carosine or other such fluids. I'm a magician who wants to put fire eating and or breathing into his act but is cautious about what lighter fluid to use if you can help me out.

kerosene is just as safe to you (and onlookers) as the safex pyrofluid fs...both dont taste spectacular, but any of those two is your safest bet. unrelated: can you put up some instructables for magic? :P

"Its also safer then you might imagine for a few reasons, the first is that kerosene (The liquid used to breathe fire) has a high flash point, meaning its not an extremely flammable liquid, I have put matches out in cups of kerosene. It ignites because you make it into a mist (aspirating) when you spray it from your mouth. Another reason is as long as there is sufficient pressure the flames will stay a safe distance from your face." I totaly agree, metal is the same way. you have to grind it in to a powder before it will burn.

Very well done. I'll have my favorite wife standing by with a hose and a fire extinguisher ready to go. One thing I've learned from my professional fireworks experience is that 100% cotton is flame resistant. If I wasn't wearing my NOMEX fire suit, I'd dress in jeans and a long sleeve 100% cotton shirt, good gloves, and I'd wrap my head and neck in old tee shits. If you do so, make sure the cotton is tight to the skin and nothing is left dangling or loose. I'd only go to all this trouble the first few live attempts, or until I felt comfortable. Even after that, I'll wear glasses and gloves, but I'm a safety nerd. I'll post some photos after I pull it off. What self respecting pyro would puss out of this?

i believe it was even used as a fire suit back in the olden days... after watching some documentary not too long ago about it... i remember them saying they would light themselves on fire using gunpowder flashes as a scare tactic during wars...

correct me if I'm wrong, but can't u just use alcohol. I don't know much about it, but I think that if it has a high percent of alcohol in it it is flamable enough to ignite. It would be safer than kerosene and taste better. But then again why waste perfectly good booze.

Why is everybody trippin'? The guy is just posting an instructable on the subject. He says how he does this, not that YOU SHOULD. Its up to you to decide what to do with the info. Its just like if you met some one on the street and told you about their project. I get sick of people complaining about how people don't post all the safety data or whatever like they are implying the post should get taken down. If you have safety advice just post it and don't act like knowledge is a crime.

I've been breathing/eating fire for about 7 years, frequently with facial hair. As long as you're using Kerosene/Lamp Oil you have to do something actively stupid to catch yourself on fire. Save the milk for after the fireball to get the foul, foul taste of fuel out of your mouth.

That was just a photo demonstrating the process of building one. When I wrote this instructable I already had a torch, and since I didn't want to build another one just yet, I quickly scrapped those pieces together for the photo.

i have tried this many a time with methalated spirits being extreemly carefull to not enhale or drink any which was pretty easy with little mouthfulls.. but its tastes like shit.. yes thats right metho tastes like shit its because hobos would buy it and drink it for a cheap drunk so companies started putting a foul taste detterent in it, so i was experimenting with lots of differnet flammable chemicals to see which dont taste terrible and it just so turns out that turps (mineral turpintine) used as a paint thinner, dosent taste at all! i am serious it just like having vegatable oil in your mouth its great, but i havent researched the toxixity of turps OR how good it is for firebreathing so could sombody please clear this up for me??? Cheers Tim

you should not use any fuel except lamp oil. Turpentine and paint thinner are extremely toxic. They will also cause cancer. Lamp oil is your best bet for safety and It is rather tasteless. Just bye Ultra-pure lamp oil. The unscented stuff

hey man I'm not positive on this one but I think turpentine is pretty carcinogenic. I'm not sure on this one but as with any chemical your working with you should at least look up the Material Data Safety Sheet(MSDS) on it. Also where are you from I love the landscape looks a lot like either Louisiana or Mississippi.

haha well you would be surpized i acutally found the msds prior to trying it and it ddidn't mention anything out of the ordinary.. but i think i will keep away from it after doing some kero + turps mix it stings even non sensitive skin and makes your lips do a little shudder when you smile, its quite strange realy. BAHA once again you would be surprized to know that its not even a state in america, funnily enough its beautiful australia, im an aussie lol isn't it great how instructables is more than a single culture community. a couple were shot in my backyard and the ones you commented on were shot on a bike track just west of my house. Adios Tim

I do fire breathing my self and you are showing the wrong fuel and people are going to hurt them selves now I would suggest telling them to use Lamp Oil don't say paraffin or kerosene because paraffin just means it has an oily characteristic kerosene is also a carcinogenic like all hydrocarbons so don't tell them to use any other fuel. Lamp oil is much safer and does not cause cancer. It also only burns under certain conditions and those are when in a mist or when its been heated such as on the wicking of a lamp. I'm not meaning to tear you down but I am actually trying to help people

When I started playing with this way back when, I used slightly largish wire roughly as thick as a wire coat hanger, though ripped out of a fastener for headstone pieces (hey, they were 5 cents a piece on clearance.. sooner or later, everyone needs thick metal wire for something or the other). At first I sewed the wick on, but the threat tended to burn really easily if lit very long. I tried sewing them on with thread from the actual wick (cheapish wick, not the kevlar glass fiber hyper teflon snakebite wick) which worked slightly better but eventually fell apart. Someone told me to try gluing it on with elmers or school glue (that cheap arts/crafts stuff kids use) and it worked amazingly well, it seems to harden together more the hotter it gets rather then burn. I've even used that with plain gauze rather then wick for additional and bigger/smaller torches and it's so far never failed me - they're still laying around somewhere. I used some for years, although probably like weekly or so - I'm not a pro by any means it's more of something I do once in a while when bored. Safety is certainly a big concern, I've burned myself a few times though not real bad, at best things that hurt for a week or so - no hospital stuff. I think as long as people are willing to realize and really be realistic about the risks, it's ok to take them at ones own discretion. It is important that people do realize that getting burned is a part of fire eating/breathing/rubbing on oneself/whatnot shows, it's possible nothing really bad will happen but the kind of burns one might get from dipping a finger in candle wax or bumping a hand against a hot stove (i.e. the "ouch goddammit!" kind) are next to inevitable, if that's not cool with you then don't.

oh and also, turps is alright for firebreathing but it stings the sensitive skin in your mouthso add a dash or 2 to kero and you get a increased flash point but not by much, its good for tuning your flames

Hello. phidauex has described well the basics of firebreathing but Im sure for the younger and excitable readers there has not been a full heads up (I.E. SAFETY talk), About a decade and a half ago I was taught the basics of proper firebreathing or "atomisation and ignition" as it was shown to me. It involves the pursing of your mouth as you consistently blow and atomise the fuel (Blowing VERY HARD and evenly) while taking a good even torch quickly and smoothly AWAY from your fuel mist. The first fuel I used was "BARBEQWIK" barbeque fuel which was a paraffin/kerosene based one so I guessed all barbeque fuel was the same. IT IS NOT. I tried, after the initial success, to use a couple of different brands of barbeque lighter fluid and !!HEY!! most barbeque fluid/gels are highly chemically toxic and dont burn or are very hard to burn in atomisation and that stuff hurt me very badly. I learnt to use the right stuff, like coleman gas or refined paraffin if you can get it. Incidentally the person who taught me, a few years later very seriously burnt his lungs and ended up in ER after accidentally swallowing a VERY SMALL amount of some unlit fuel (all fuel is toxic). I hope that anyone interested will understand that this is not a game and will be with a competent person who has REALLY worked with fire, before accidentally doing a "full burn" or stripping their lung capillaries by mistake. I was taught well but everyone is fallible and only EVER attempt firebreathing when SOBER and with multiple smart compadres to put you out and whizz you to the Accident and Emergency. Its not really that cool.

Reminds me of the "hydrogen beer" that was floating around in Japan. Someone would drink a lot of the stuff, burp the gas out, and light it with their cigarette. There's a story about a guy that inhaled his cigarette. Boom.

nope, that's unlikely. First, the stuff coming out of the spray bottle is liquid and propellant. It's the butane propellant that burns, and if there's only propellant and droplets of stuff, there's no oxygen. I think you meant that the flame can melt the plastic fittings on the can and make a leak which can catch fire. Which then burns down, mixing oxygen with the propellant THEN it plodes, but not as fast as you think

i work at a circus a i firebreath alot. i do like how u made the tourch but i was taught by pros if enyone is going to try this the i recomend having someone that has a car that can take u to the nearest hospital if enything gos rong. also have a glass of milk before so it will line your stomach.. enyway nice keep safe!!!!

I agree with zako I have been eating and breathing fire for many year and it is very dangerous it is something that should not be learn from a website but from a pro. I know I am not any of your mothers and I can't stop you so if you want to learn by yourself check out brian brushwoods book at http://www.youcaneatfire.com/ it has alot of info in it. Be Safe

I'm a DRAGON. Emmy wished on a dragon's scale and that's what started dragon tales Around the room the dragons flew but Emmy and Max knew what to do. They climbed on the backs of their dragon friends And now the adventure never ends. Dragon Tales, Dragon Tales, it's almost time for Dragon Tales. Come along, Take my hand, let's all go to Dragon Land. There's Ord, he's the biggest; not too brave of heart. There's Cassey, so shy; also very smart. There's Zack and Weezy who are tales of fun, 'Cause you know that two hears are better than one. Dragon Tales, Dragon Tales, it's almost time for Dragon Tales. Come along, Take my hand, let's all go to Dragon Land.

thanks to all my friends and proffessionals for not suing me... most of the first pics are with corn starch.. dry fuel = "safer"it's only flamable when you breathe it out into a cloud. the flame only ignites the dust particles in the air... it'll leave you with a lovely white smile, and leave a wonderful tasting paste in your mouth, but you don't have to worry so much about wiping your face, or inhaling..

Well I'm 16 and I have been blowing fire since I was around 13 or 14 I first did it by filling my mouth with the gas from a lighter, but I soon moved up to actualy fire blowing, I have exparimented with different compinations, and I found that if you really dislike the tast of what ever liquid your using, what you can do is mix in about a table spoon of MD which makes it takes a little better but you still get a strange fealing in your mouth. Also, I don't know about you but when I first started blowing fire, I would wipe the remaining liquid from my mouth using just the shirt I was wearing at the time, not only is this highly dangerous but its also extremly bad for your skin, I use tiki tourch fluid when I do it, I just found a certain type of it that tasts alot better, anyways... if your skin comes incontact with the fluid to long, you will end up with a nasty rash which could result in some medical problems, none being all the serious but they are quite an inconvenience. I have also found that depending on how you spray the fire from your mouth, you can get some really cool shapes from the fire! I would also like to add that I myself have never been burned by blowing fire, except for a missing eyebrow last summer, but a close firend of mine was seriously injured because he didn't take the proper safety measurse, so I would recomend befor trying it even once that you resurch the proper steps and prosedurs.

The my kerosene soaked flask was in my pocket against my skin for hours. Ideally the kerosene will be in your mouth for no longer then 10 seconds at a time. That being said it is not ideal to have the kerosene come in contact with any part of your body for longer then a few minutes.

I would recommend keeping the fuel in something like glass or metal, if for some reason the fuel is ignited it will melt threw a plastic container and go all over the floor (I've herd stories about this), I would for sure keep it in a glass or metal container while breathing anywhere near it. I do like how you mentioned labeling the container, that is very important. Also wire coat hangers, or metal shishkabob scewers work great for the torches, then you won't have to worry about wood getting burned and whatnot, it also seem to me that they are much easier to make, just wrap your wick around it sew it, and bend the end up to ensure the wick wont fly off while preforming.(I can post a pic of it if you'd like.

Grain Alcohol = Bad. The second time I practiced with fire breathing it was with 100+ proof grain alchohol. It burned way to quick and started to come back to me. Luckily, I only slightly scorched the inside of my mouth before I blew it all out. Still, the taste of mouth charcoal is enough was enough for me to stop trying to do something half-assed.

First, fire breathing really is dangerous. I know when you are young it doesn't seem like anything is dangerous, but this is. That said, if you really understand the dangers, you can work to mitigate them.

Fuel:

Kerosene is not the best choice for fuel, though it isn't terrible. Alcohol is a bad idea, it burns too fast, and after the first couple shots, you're drunk. Drunk + fire = hurt people. And finally, alcohol is low energy, and makes puny flames. And who wants that?

The "safest" fuel is Ultra Pure Lamp Oil. Lamplighter Farms brand is good, though others work too. Associates of mine have actually spoken with the distillery plant managers, and they let us know that their Ultra Pure Lamp Oil is distilled to the same level of purity as their Food Grade mineral oil sold at drugstores (as a laxative). They are pure aliphatic hydrocarbons (meaning straight chains, not toxic, instead of branched or ring hydrocarbons, which are toxic, and which give lighter fluid and kerosene their distinctive smells, lamp oil has no odor). Its burn characteristics are like Kero though, needs to be atomized for a good burn, and high energy content for large pillars.

Practice is critical. If you fill your mouth with water, then spray out anything other than a fine mist without drips down your chin, you need to keep practicing. In reality, you may never get perfect, but your mist should be very fine, with few drops, and no streams, and very little dribble down the chin. Focus on small blasts at first, its easier to control. As you get better, try to maintain a fine mist for a longer period of time. If you can do a three-count consistent mist, you are in good shape.

You should have a damp wipe cloth in one hand, like a damp wash cloth. Get in the habit of:

take a deep breath and hold itfill your mouth with fuelWIPE THE FACEspray a mist over the torch flame (not the torch head)pull away the torch as you spray fuel, for maximum fireball sizeshut off the fuel flow when blowback gets too close, or if you start to dribble or 'squirt'WIPE THE FACE IMMEDIATELY

Frequent face wiping keeps you clean, and keeps you safer. I cringe whenever I see inexperienced breathers with fuel soaked shirts and faces. I can breathe for an hour and not have anything more than a slippery jaw. If you are doing straight ups, downward blasts, breather boxes, multiperson breathes, or anything funky, you really should be wearing goggles to keep fuel and fire out of your eyes. Get cool cyberpunk goggles, and you won't feel like a dweeb.

You should breathe as little as possible while the fuel is in your mouth. You really don't want droplets in your lungs, and any breath will suck a few down. Suck a lot down, and you'll have a bad case of chemical pneumonia.

Anyway, good idea for an instructable, and its in the right category. Just remember, pulling something off a few times is not a replacement for experience, the stakes are high when you are talking about things like this.

A few other tips... Don't drink anything hoping to 'coat' your mouth or stomach, it just makes it worse. Olive oil, milk, and other emulsifiers or oily substances will soften the mucus membranes, and allow for easier transport of all substances. Studies have shown that absorbtion rates for lamp oil are many times higher when it is mixed with olive oil or milk, than when it is all by itself. The only protective thing you should be injesting would be an activated charcoal capsule from the drug store.

Hey man, your video is fantastic. I do a bit of fire breathing, i'm no expert though. Can you give me any tips on your technique. I mean how do you make a fire ball float away at the end. Do you just blow for all your worth? Aidan Ireland.

I tried fire breathing with kerosene from the store and I noticed that it had addatives and I only got about a three foot flame when I was trying for a pillar about 8 or so feet I can pull it off with pure kerosene and lamp oil but the store bought kerosene had a low sulfur rating, does that have anything to do with how small the flame was or was it just the dye in it?

I'm 17 and been fire blowing since I was about ten. I can't stand tiki fuel or kerosene taste, so I just use high proof alcohol (my everclear stash works nicely. Also that way you won't have a need to worry about swallowing.

hi im a juggler from montreal i think i find the best way to practice fire blowing i try with a coffée its hot and missy if you miss so i did it on the first try but if you want the best instruction about fire blowing and fuel ask some profesionel juggling site like that one http://www.renegadejuggling.com/Web_store/rev3k/index.html they said everything and if you also want to by torches and safety thing this is the place

I have 5 guys from a renaissance faire i work at teaching me how to breathe fire and they use Nalgene bottles to transport their liquid. Nalgene bottles have leak proof screw top lids and if you also juggle fire the mouth of them is large enough to dip the tips of your torches in.

I know it aint the best thing in the world but ive been using kingsford charcoal lighter fluid (i have thick chemical burn in my throught already from working with very toxic chemicals my whole life so it doesnt hurt, just bad for ya).....Im going to pick up the real stuff before I goto the next music festival.

look rite, i have done fire breathing a lot of times. i practised with water and a mirror first, cos that way you can see how misty the spray is. as for burns, ONLY HAVE AS MUCH PARAFIN AS YOU CAN HANDLE IN YOUR MOUTH. DO NOT STOP BLOWING UNTIL YOU ARE SURE YOU HAVE GOT RID OF ALL THE PARAFIN IN YOUR MOUTH. blowbacks are a problem yes, and most of the time, if you inhale a blowback, ur dead. simple as. because your lungs will turn to ash, just before they explode. keep the torch away from your mouth. the further away, the safer, cos the pressure of you blowing will get the mist to the flame and ignite it, but the flame will not be able to fight against the pressure, unles you slow your blowing. DO NOT USE ALCOHOL OF ANY TYPE, pure or not, it burns too quickly, too easily. you will get a blowback imediatly (sp?), and bye bye life. if you dont want to use liquids, things like custard powder out of a tube will work well too. you will not get burnt doing this, unless you screw up. oh, and dont dribble. if you cant blow it properly with water, dont try it. dribble down ur front and it will burn ur t-shirt. i do it topless, cos parafin needs a wick to burn, or a fuel to air mix. drink milk before you do it as well. wash your mouth with it. parafin just tastes a bit oily anyway, nothing too bad. as for mixing stuff into it, we tried one, and it caused it to ignite faster, and ma mate almost died from it. stick to pure parafin...nothing else

After Ive expelled all the kerosene from my mouth, I would reflexively pull my head back and wipe my mouth with a wet towel. Ive only slightly burned my lips once ever while doing this, and Im pretty sure its not one of the times I have on video.

Kerosene is oil based so Im pretty sure that water would not be able to mix with it. It would probably end up making it more dangerous. There are different "formulas" though, people mix it with other flammable substances to try and produce a brighter or cleaner burn, however I've never tried any of them.

What you do to the fuel, that creates a fine mist with no droplets is called aspirating. I am a new member of a fire troup and i have learned from the guy who currently holds the world record for biggest fireball. Dont ever breathe with everclear, it WILL get you drunk just by sitting in your mouth. just use paraffin and dont swallow the stuff. have fun with this its one of the most awesome things to be able to do if you can do it well. have fun and dont kill yourselves

i almost forgot. this is how i make my torches, the cost is about $7 to $10, and you can get everything from a lowes/home depot/etc. get an 18 to 24" length of 1/2" BIP (black iron water pipe) with threads on both ends. get a 1/2" metal pipe cap get a 1/2" metal union (it joins two pipes, but it has a large screw connection in the middle that can be removed. a union is three peices, basically two flanges and a screw ring that locks them together. make sure the screw ring screws onto the 1/2" part of the union, it dosen't matter what the other side is, you won't be using it) get a pack (usually two) of bamboo tiki torch wiks get a bottle of lamp fuel or kerosene (your fuel will do fine) to assemble: screw the pipe cap on one of the pipe, this will be the bottom of your torch and keeps fuel from dripping out onto you. dissasemble the metal union, screw the half-inch part onto the pipe. soak your wick in fuel for a minute or two, this is all you'll need, as the wick holds enough fuel to burn for 20-30 minutes (depending on the fuel) sick half the length of the wick through the union, down the pipe, lay the other half out on the flat surface of the union, and twist the ring of the union down around it to hold it in place. light it, and enjoy your nice professional looking torch. oh, and if you do breathe fire with facial hair, wet it down with water.

you forgot to mention how incredibly dangerous this is. i've been a fire breather for 6 years. DO NOT BREATHE FIRE IF YOU HAVE FACIAL HAIR. untill you are well practiced at aersolizing the fuel, you risk setting your face on fire. the hair on your face (and hands) will act as a wick and hold the fuel in place to burn the hell out of you. you also forgot to mention when you're breating fire, you have a torch in one hand, and a damp (not soaking wet) cloth in your other hand. you keep your mouth covered, blow a burst, and then re-cover your mouth with the damp cloth, this helps keep your face from catching alight in case of flarebacks. Once you have any kind of fuel in your mouth YOU CANNOT BREATHE IN! not even through your nose, you will inhale fumes, and that is bad. everclear(pga) works,but it is a very low energy fuel. you need more of it to get a decent fireball, so only try it after you're well practiced. it will also make you quite drunk if you keep it in your mouth for any decent period of time. bicardi 151 works very poorly for breathing fire, unless you are highly skilled. if using alcohol, let it warm up first, and don't keep it in your mouth very long, it'll pull water out of your mouth and saliva and loose it's potency rather quickly. practice for about three hours with water before you attempt to use any kind of fuel. the idea is to be able to spray an entire mouthful of fuel (about 1/3 oz, a rablespoon is a good starter amount) without any dribbling on you lips or chin/cheeks. you also want as fine a mist as possible, no droplets as these will fall to the ground and continue burning, it's dangerous and ruins the effect. you want to keep your cloth damp. if you have a friend with a damp towel, again, damp, not soaking wet. the reason for this is simple: if you catch fire, the water in the towel will boil, and you will get steam burns. also, for oil-based fuels, don't just slosh the person with a bucket of water, oil and water don't mix, burning oil must be extingushed with co2 or by smothering. it's also faster (this is why stunt men don't use water) bottom line: DON'T BREATHE FIRE, you have to be an idiot to do this. i am said idiot.

Using liquor is a bad idea because it burns at a much faster rate than kerosene. Which means a higher chance of burning your face, possibly even the inside of your mouth. Much safer to just use kerosene or a similar fuel.

I taught myself and a friend to do this a while back. Really does entertain those under the influnce. It's also a good idea to hold your kerosene bottle behind your back while you are breathing fire. Have fun and be safe people.

go ahead and use a lighter if you want tor isk your hand being blown off. if that lighter gets some spray & fire on it, bang. much better just make a torch. i'm SURE you've got a stick and an old sock somewhere. torches aren't the most advanced devices.

What if the worst thing happens and you set part of your face on fire or do something wrong. Can the paraffin be easily put out with the wet towel? And would it help if you put like lip chap or something on your lips before hand to give you a little extra time if you lips start to burn?

Nice guide, me and a couple of friends taught ourselves this too. The practice with water first and get a nice mist through. Kerosene (or paraffin for us in the UK) can be a bit nasty. After one long day of breathing fire a friend of mine was really sick. What can happen is you can accidentally swallow small amounts of the stuff. It can also be absorbed through the pores in your mouth. One little trick to limit this is drink some milk first (lines the stomach) and swill it around your mouth (like mouthwash) before and after the session. Enjoy